Traveler slide



P. C. WILSON TRAVELER SLIDE July 30, 1929.

Filed Jan. 26, 1927 INVEToR. @LL/Mw v6. Mm,

BY Q Q ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 3G, 1929.

UNITED TRAVELER sLInn.

Application filed January 26, 1927. `Serial No. 163,662. l

This invention relates to improvements in securing devices of the typewherein. the element or part secured thereby is restrained for travelingmovement along a certain course, and being adapted for variousapplications. More particularly in some of its aspects, the inventionrelates to improvements intravel ing slides or runners for securingsails or the `like for traveling movement along a spar or mast.. V

1t is the genera-l obj ect of the invention to provide an improvedsecuringdevice of the class mentioned, so constructed and arranged as todiminish or practically ,avoid jamming or binding or other resistancesto the free traveling movement of the secured element.

A further and more particular object of the invention is to provide animproved securing device of the class mentioned including a travelerslide or runner provided with convex contact surfaces for engagementwith a guideway, and being arranged to decrease or practically avoidlany binding or jamming of the runner in its movement along the guidewayin either direction. I

A further object is to provide an improved device for securing a sail orthelike to a mast or spar so as to permit free hoistingor loweringthereof, and operating to diminish the tendency of binding or jamming ofthe sail securing device so as to minimize lthe time and eort requiredto raise or lower the sails.

Still another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of theclass mentioned, an improved traveler or slide or runner having convexedge contact surfaces so disposed with reference to cooperating contactsurfaces of a guideway that some portion of said convex edge surfacesare positioned for engagement with the guideway in any position therunner may assume, and alsoto provide an autoL matically Vshiftingattachment for attaching a sail or the like to the runner so as toautomatically free the runner from binding tendency during movement ineither direction along the guideway.

Other objects will be in part pointed out below in connection with thedetailed descrip-l tion of an illustrative but preferred embodiment ofthe invention, and will be in part obvious in connection with saiddescription.

The invention accordingly comprises the :features of construction,combinations of ele-` ments, and arrangement of parts, which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter set forthand the scopeof.the application of which will be indicated in the claims.-

For a more complete'understanding of the l nature and objects of theinvention, reference 1s hadto the following detailed descriptionof theillustrative embodiment of the invention,

and .to the'accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 1s a fragmentaryelevation 'showing a sail attached to a mast by a securing mechaf nismembodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an'enlarged perspectiveview with i parts broken away forclearness of disclosure, showing a traveling slide or runner embodyingthe invention.

Fig. 3 isa sectional plan, and Fig. 4 is an elevation wit broken away'showing the cooperation of the runner with asupporting guideway.

- For the purpose of furnishing-a detailed disclosure of the invention,van embodiment thereof is shown in the drawing as applied to the supportof a sail to a mast or spar' for movement therealong in either directionvas during raising or lowering of the sail. n

Referring to the drawing for a detailed disclosure of the embodiment ofthe'inven `tion there shown asail'lO of a sailing vessel is supportedbya spar or mast 11 which may be positioned as desired. A guideway 12 in hcertainr parts 1,

the form of an elongated Hat bar or plate is secured to the mast bylsuitable securingdevices 13, its direction of length correspondinggenerally with that of. the mast. A supporting block or strip 14 may beinterposedbetween the guide bar and the mast so as to provide a firmseat for the bar and to space f it slightly from thev adjacent surfaceof the mast.

`A plurality of traveler" slidesor runners 15 are mounted for slidableengagement Vwith the guideway` in connected `relation therewith,

each runner being provided with an attaching bar` 16l secured atlongitudinally spaced parts thereof to the runner vas by studs 17.

The attaching bar extends longitudinally ofl the runner andis spacedslightlytherefrom so'as to provide an elongated slot or passageway forthe reception of an attaching ring or link 18, which is thus movablelongitudinally relatively to the runner, such movement being limited bythe terminals of the slot, that is, by the studs 17. Each attaching linkis connected to the sail in any desired manner, preferably including areinforced eye 19 secured yto the sail.

Allof the runners 15 are of the same concross section, including abacksection 20, opv struction, and a description of one only is adescription of all. f As shown in Figs. 2 and -3, the runner isgenerally channel-shaped in posed side or edge sections 21`and opposedinwardly extending marginal projections or flanges 22. This constructionprovides opposed edge channels or grooves 23 for the reception of theedges of the guide bar, as

lshown in Fig. 3. The slide or runner is'thus connected to the guide wayfor traveling y movement in either direction therealong.V

VThe bottom of the edge channels form edge contact surfaces forcooperation with the ledge contact surfaces of the guide bar 12,

eachof these channel bottoms being curved longitudinally fromV end toend of the run- -11er contact surface to present convex edge contactsurfaces 24,0pposing and adapted to contact respectively with the edgecontact surfaces of vthe guide bar 12. These convex ,Contact surfaces-24 are so .disposed Vand the curvature thereof so proportionedrelatively to the kwidth of the guidebar 12, that whenvever contactoccurs 4between the cooperating :surfaces lsuch contact will be withinthe longitudinal limits of the convex contact sur- 'facesz-'For example,as clearly seen in Fig. 4 when the runner tilts edgewise in eitherdirection, or rotates on an axis disposed at Aan angle tothe plane ofthe guideway, the :engagement between the edges ofthe guideway and theconvex contact surfaces 24 occurs within the longitudinal limits of thelatter, no matter what may be the degree of tilting. As shown in Fig. 4,the runner has rotated as vfar as possible to the left, and the contactf points 25 Vbetween the convex surfaces 24 and those of the bar 12 arewell within the longitudinal limits of the former. f r f l ,The resultof this arrangement is that the convex contact surfaces 24 are-alwaysbrought into play whenever an engagement occurs with the edge vof theguide bar 12, thus reducing frictional resistance to progress of the'runner in either direction, diminishing any tendency to binding orjamming action between the runner and guideway, and preventing any sharpor angular surfaces'of the runner from engagement with the guideway. Inorderstill further to decrease frictional or other resistances to theprogress of the runner` along the guideway, the back section 20isprovided on the inner face thereof with convex contact surfaces 26,extending transversely across said'face at both ends thereof. TheseContact surfaces 26 are preferably conf i vexed longitudinally thereofaway from said inner face, and also convexed or rounded transversely oftheir length, as shown, so as to provide domelike forward and rearcontact surfaces. The inner back surface :isV also provided withlaterally disposed longitudinallv extending convex contact surfaces 27,convexed longitudinally away from said back surface. Four spacedconvexed contacteurfaces are thus provided on the inner back surface forengagement with the adjacent contact faceof the guidebar 12.Furthermore, the inner surfaces of the flanges`22 are provided withlongitudinally extending convex contact surfaces 28 opposed to thecontactV surfaces 27 and being generally similar to the latter butoppositely convexed; that is, they are convexed longitudinally inwardlyfrom kthe inner flange faces.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the runner is provided at allparts thereof which oppose and makecontact with any part of the guidebar during travel therealong in either direction, with curved orconvexed contact surfaces, and that no flat or angular part thereof cancome into Contact with the guideway. Resistance to progress of therunner in either direction is therefore reduced to a minimum vandtendency to binding orjamming is diminished. Also tendency to binding orjamming is reduced by the longitudinally convexed surfaces 24 as aboveex- "if plained. Tendency to binding or jamming is still furtherdiminishedl by thel lost motion connection between the link 18and'therunner provided by the elongated connectingA bar 16, as above set forth.l/Vith this arrangement any incipient binding or jamming that J5 mayoccur is immediately freed or released by operation of this connection,dueto the fact that any stress exerted upon the runner by A theconnecting link 18 is directed inthe form of a pull at the advance endof the traveler, no matter what the direction of travel is. This pull atthe forward end of the traveler tends to bring it into alignment withthe guideway, in which position'its'kmovement is free and unimpeded. Apull some dis.-

tance back of the advance end of the runner, or toward the following endthereof,.might tend to promote binding rather than ,avoiding it. Y f

vSince certain changes may be made in the above construction, anddifferent embodi-v ments of the invention could bemade with-` outdeparting from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matterycontained inV theV above vdescription or shown in the accompanyl ingdrawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense. Y

It is also tobe understood that the following claims `are intended tocover all oftheV t' generic and spacific features of the inventionherein described, and all', statements of the scope of the inventionwhich, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween. y

Having described my invention,'what"I i claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. -A traveler vslidefor securing devices have ing opposed similarlycurved contact`vvr edge surfaces, and having opposed surfaces dis-yposed' at an angle to said edge surfacesrv and 130 having opposedsimilarly curved contact edge surfaces,andhaving a pluralityof convexcontact surfaces disposed in a plane at anangle to said edge surfaces,said traveler slide having a longitudinally disposed elongated bar forattaching a connecting link so as to perrelatve longitudinal movement ofsaid 5. A traveler slide for securing devices i having opposed similarlybutoppositely convexed edge contact surfaces, each contact surface beingconvexed With reference to the longitudinal axis of the slide throughoutthe longitudinal extent of said contact surface,

l said traveler slide having a longitudinally disposed elongated bar forattaching a connecting link so as to permit relative longitudinalmovement lof said link.

6.. In combination, a traveler slide forl securing devices having aplurality of angularly disposed faces, each provided with one or moreconvex contact surfaces, and a. connecting link connected tol said slidefor limited relative movement thereon. `7. In a device of the characterdescribed, in. combination, an elongated guideway having opposed edgecontact surfaces and a iunner having opposed channels for the receptionof said edge contact surfaces, said channels each having edge surfacesfor engagement with said edge contact surfaces of the guideway and beinglongitudinally convexed throughout their longitudinal extent.-

8. In a device of the character described, in combination, an elongatedguidevvay having opposed edge contact surfaces and a runner havingopposed channels for the reception of said edge contact surfaces, saidchannels each having edge surfaces for engagement With said contactsurfaces of the guideWay and being longitudinally convexed throughouttheir longitudinal extent, said runner having a plurality of convexcontact surfaces positioned to contact with another contact surface ofsaid guidevvay.

9. In a device of the character described, in combination, an elongatedguidevvay having opposed edge contact surfaces and a runner havingopposed channels for the reception of said edge contact surfaces, saidchannels each having edge surfaces for engagement With said guidevvayedge contact surfaces and being longitudinally convexed throughout theirlongitudinal extent, and a connecting link connected to said runner forlimited relative ylongitudinal movement thereon.

10. In a' device of character described,

in combination, an elongated guidevvay'having opposed edge contactsurfaces, anda runner having opposed channels Vfor the reception of saidedge contact surfaces, saidV channels eachhaving edge surfaces` forengagement With said guidevvay .contact surfaces and beinglongitudinally convexed throughout their vlongitudinal extent, saidrunner having a plurality of convex contact surfacesV positioned tocontact With another contact surface of said guidevvay, and a connectinglink vconnected to said runner for limited relative longitudinalmovement thereon.

1l. In a device of the character described, in combination, an elongatedguidevvay and a securing traveler slide mounted upon said guidevvay formovement therealong,4 said slide having laterallyy opposed similarlycurved contact faces extending longitudinally thereof for contactingwith said guideivay, said contact faces each being curved throughout theextent thereof,'vvhereby said opposed contact faces engagesimultaneously at points intermediate vthe ends thereof with thecompanion contact faces of the'guideivay when v said slide is tilted orrotated edgeWise to anyl possible extent. v 12. In a device of thecharacter described, in combination, an elongated guideWay and asecuring ltravelery slideV mounted upon said guideway for movementtherealong, said traveler slide having laterally opposed similarlycurved 'con-tact faces extendinglcngitudinally thereof for contactingWithcsa-id guideyvay and cooperating therewith to prevent bindingbetvveen the guidoway and the slide. an elongated attachment fixed inlongitudinal position upon said slide and a shifting connecting linkshiftably connected to said elongated attachment so it may direct aforward pull at the forward end of said runner When moving in eitherdirection.

13. In a device of the character described, in combination, an elongatedguideWay and -a securing traveler slide mounted upon said guideWay formovement therealong, said slide having laterally opposed similarlycurved contact faces extending longitudinally thereof for contactingwith said guidevvay, said contact faces each being curved throughout theextent thereof whereby said opposed contact faces engage simultaneouslyat points intermediate the ends thereof with the companionl cont-actfaces of the guidevvay when sad Vslide is tilted or rotated edgevvise toany possible extent, and a connecting link connected to said runner forlimited relative longitudinal movement thereon.

14. In a device ofthe character described,

in combination, an elongated guideway having opposed edge contactsurfaces and a runner having opposed channels for t-he reception of saidedge lcontact surfaces, said channels each having edge surfaces forengagement With said edge contact surfaces of the guideway and saidchannel edge surfaces being longitudinally convexedat the end portionsthereof whereby said convex end surfaces which are diagonally disposedon the runner may simultaneously contact with the edge contact surfacesof said elongated guideway upon edgewise tilting of said runner ineither direction so as to minimize jamming.

15. In a device of the character described, in combination, an elongatedguideway having opposed edge contact surfaces, and a runner havingopposed channels for the reception of said edge contact surfaces, saidchannels each-having edge surfaces for engagement with said edge contactsurfaces of the guideway, and said channel edge surfaces flaringlaterally outwardly at the end portions thereof whereby said flaringsurfaces which are diagonallyv disposed on the runner may simultaneouslycontact with the edge contact surfaces of said elongated guideway uponedgewise tilting of said runner in either direction so as to minimizejamming.

16. In a device of the character described, inV combination, anelongated guideway havv ing opposite guiding surfaces and a securingelongated traveler slide mounted upon said guideway for movementtherealong, said traveler slide having laterally opposed oppositelylaterally inclined contact faces at the ends of the slide whereby saidlaterally inclined end surfaces whichy are diagonally disposed on theslide may simultaneously contact with the opposite guiding surfaces ofthe guideway upon edgewise tilting ofl said slide in either direction soas to minimize jamming, said traveler slide, having continuously curvedcontact faces at opposite sides thereof connecting` the respectiveinclined Contact y sitioned' Vfor contact cooperation respectively withsaid first-mentioned contact faces, one of said members havingoppositely disposed channels forming laterally disposed contact facesand intowhich channel the edges of the first mentioned member extend sothat diagonally opposite faces of said slide member when laterallytilted may simultaneously slidably contact respectively with theadjacent faces of the companion member, said slide member, havingcontinuously curved Contact facesat opposite sides thereof, eonnectingthe respective inclined contact faces, thus providing continuouselongated contact faces at said opposite sidesrelatively disposed topermit the slide to rock or tilt edgewise and thus to present differentportions of said elongated contact faces in contact'posi- .tion withsaid guiding member.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature.

PREsooTT" o. wILsoN.l

